Crop row sensing on vehicle with multiple, independently steerable axles/wheels
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An agricultural mobile machine, comprising:
- a frame;
first and second front ground engaging traction elements movably connected to the frame;
a front steering actuator controllable to steer the first and second front ground engaging traction elements;
first and second rear ground engaging traction elements movably connected to the frame;
a rear steering actuator controllable to steer the first and second rear ground engaging traction elements independently of the first and second front ground engaging traction elements;
one or more sensors configured to;
sense a first distance from one of the first or second rear ground engaging traction elements to a first crop row of a plurality of crop rows, wherein each crop row comprises a plurality of plants disposed in a row and is spaced apart from an adjacent crop row by a gap there between;
sense a second distance from one of the first or second rear ground engaging traction elements to a second one of the crop rows; and
sense a third distance from one of the front ground engaging traction elements to an adjacent crop row and to sense a fourth distance from one of the front ground engaging traction elements to an adjacent crop row; and
a steering control system configured to;
generate, based on the first and second distances, a rear steering control signal to control the rear steering actuator to steer the first and second rear ground engaging traction elements to maintain each of the first and second rear ground engaging traction elements in a gap between crop rows; and
generate a front steering control signal to steer the set of front ground engaging traction elements based on the sensed third and fourth distances.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An agricultural machine has a set of front wheels and a set of rear wheels that are independently steerable relative to one another. Distance sensors are mounted to the agricultural vehicle to sense a distance between the front wheels, and the adjacent row crops, and between the rear wheels, and the adjacent row crops. Automatic steering control signals are generated to automatically steer the front wheels, and rear wheels, based upon the sensed distances.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An agricultural mobile machine, comprising:
- a frame;
first and second front ground engaging traction elements movably connected to the frame;
a front steering actuator controllable to steer the first and second front ground engaging traction elements;
first and second rear ground engaging traction elements movably connected to the frame;
a rear steering actuator controllable to steer the first and second rear ground engaging traction elements independently of the first and second front ground engaging traction elements;
one or more sensors configured to;
sense a first distance from one of the first or second rear ground engaging traction elements to a first crop row of a plurality of crop rows, wherein each crop row comprises a plurality of plants disposed in a row and is spaced apart from an adjacent crop row by a gap there between;
sense a second distance from one of the first or second rear ground engaging traction elements to a second one of the crop rows; and
sense a third distance from one of the front ground engaging traction elements to an adjacent crop row and to sense a fourth distance from one of the front ground engaging traction elements to an adjacent crop row; and
a steering control system configured to;
generate, based on the first and second distances, a rear steering control signal to control the rear steering actuator to steer the first and second rear ground engaging traction elements to maintain each of the first and second rear ground engaging traction elements in a gap between crop rows; and
generate a front steering control signal to steer the set of front ground engaging traction elements based on the sensed third and fourth distances. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- a frame;
-
13. An agricultural sprayer comprising:
- a frame supporting a spraying system comprising spray nozzles configured to apply a spray of a substance to crop rows as the agricultural sprayer traverses the crop rows during a spraying operation, each crop row comprising a plurality of plants disposed in a row and is spaced apart from an adjacent crop row; and
the frame configured to span over a plurality of the crop rows during the spraying operation;
a set of front ground engaging traction elements steerably connected to the frame;
a set of rear ground engaging traction elements steerably connected to the frame, the set of front ground engaging traction elements being independently steerable relative to the set of rear ground engaging traction elements;
one or more sensors configured to sense a first distance from one of the rear ground engaging traction elements to a first one of the crop rows and to sense a second distance from one of the rear ground engaging traction elements to a second one of the crop rows, and configured to sense a third distance from one of the front ground engaging traction elements to an adjacent crop row and to sense a fourth distance from one of the front ground engaging traction elements to an adjacent crop row; and
a steering control system configured to generate a rear steering control signal to steer the set of rear ground engaging traction elements based on the sensed first and second distances, and to generate a front steering control signal to steer the set of front ground engaging traction elements based on the sensed third and fourth distances. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
- a frame supporting a spraying system comprising spray nozzles configured to apply a spray of a substance to crop rows as the agricultural sprayer traverses the crop rows during a spraying operation, each crop row comprising a plurality of plants disposed in a row and is spaced apart from an adjacent crop row; and
-
16. A method of controlling an agricultural mobile machine, the method comprising:
-
sensing a first distance from a first front wheel, in a set of steerable front wheels, to a first crop row comprising a plurality of plants disposed in a first row; sensing a second distance from a second front wheel, in a set of steerable front wheels, to a second crop row comprising a plurality of plants disposed in a second row that is spaced apart from the first row; sensing a third distance from a first rear wheel, in a set of steerable rear wheels, to the first crop row; sensing a fourth distance from a second rear wheel, in a set of steerable rear wheels, to the second crop row; generating, based on the first and second distances, a first steering control signal to steer the set of front wheels to maintain each of the front wheels in a gap between crop rows; and generating, based on the third and fourth distances, a second steering control signal to steer the set of rear wheels, independently of the set of front wheels, to maintain each of the rear wheels in a gap between crop rows. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
Specification